Chapter 23
Twenty-Three
An hour later, his knuckles wrapped in a cloth, Raphael waited for an audience with the King.
He wasn’t alone. Also seated in the room were Nicholas, Roan, Tristan, Gabriel, and Henrietta.
As the only woman, Henri had no idea why she’d been summoned, but she was content to simply remain near Raphael after making a vow to herself not to let the imbecile out of her sight ever again…
Two hours later, the King finally emerged, having apparently had forty winks followed by a nice long soak in the bath. Only narrowly escaping being poisoned by one’s closest confidante had undoubtedly left his majesty a little shaken...
After seating himself comfortably, King William turned to his lead agent. ‘Perhaps you can enlighten me as to why you arrested one lord, while allowing another to very nearly kill your sovereign?’
Raphael winced. ‘We had believed Lord Pemberton to be the leader of the conspiracy. There was no reason to suspect another – especially one so close to you, Your Majesty.’
Raphael was well aware that his explanation was no excuse, but in truth he didn’t have one. If it hadn’t been for Finn, the King might even now be dead.
‘As I understand it, Augustin. You simply fudged it, did you not?’ After a moment, Rafe sighed and nodded.
King William crossed his legs, regarding his chief agent balefully. ‘You have always thought yourself invulnerable, Raphael. Incapable of making a mistake, but after today, I have to conclude you have lost your touch.’
Rafe didn’t know how to answer - he didn’t have an answer. How could he argue when, minutes before the King was in peril, he was making love with the woman who had taken over his very world?
Henrietta opened her mouth to speak, but her father took hold of her arm, warning her that now was not the time for heroics.
The King got to his feet. ‘I am hereby releasing you from your duties,’ he declared formally. ‘From this moment on, you are no longer the head of my intelligence.’
‘You’re casting me out?’ Rafe couldn’t have stopped the accusation if hell had taken him.
King William raised his eyebrows, then he shook his head and sighed.
‘For God’s sake, Raphael, marry your young lady.
Go and have lots of babies. Live a life free of secrets.
And while you’re at it, get rid of that bloody poker you’ve had up your arse for the last however many years…
’ He turned and headed towards the door, before suddenly stopping.
Seconds later he turned and strode back to his former agent, laying a hand on his shoulder.
‘You’ve been first my brother’s eyes and ears, and then mine for most of your adult life. That will not change. The only difference is that you will no longer be my sword.
‘Go and live your life, Rafe. I believe Lord Castleton has a rather splendid house in the hills above Torquay. Clearly, he’s not going to have much use for it, so it’s yours - payment for services rendered. I’ll have the papers drawn up tomorrow.’
Seconds later he was gone, leaving the whole room in silence.
‘Are you willing to marry a man without an income?’ Raphael murmured hoarsely to Henrietta a few moments later. In answer, she threw herself into his arms for the second time in as many hours.
On the other side of the room, her father gave a low chuckle. ‘In fairness, now that Tris has taken a step up in the world, I am actually looking for a new business partner…’
THE END